While Retailers Fall All Over Themselves To Offer Price Matching, Customers Are Kind Of Like, “Eh”

We hear a lot of stories about the price-matching policies at various big box retailers like Target and Best Buy, which have evolved a lot since competition from online giants like Amazon have entered the arena. But while most stores now have some kind of price matching going on, does the average customer even really care to take advantage of it?

There’s a big push for price-matching especially during the holidays, when many retailers extend or loosen up their price-matching policies to try to ensure they snag your bucks while you’re shopping for presents, notes the Star Tribune.

It shows that retailers are on your side, they want your business and are willing to make sure you get the best price possible so you’ll give them your money. And despite pitfalls like policies that don’t allow customers to mix and match with other discounts and promotions, they’re pretty much a great way to seem competitive with other retailers.

But are we even using price-matching that often? Maybe not. After all, it does take some time to scout around at all the stores and see where the deal is best, then go back to the store if you already bought something and set the whole thing in motion.

Analysts say that only about 5% of consumers actually go out and do that, says the chief industry analyst at the NPD group. Why? Well, it could be seen as a waste of time to some people, unless they’re true blue bargain hunters who will not — nay! Cannot! — rest until they’ve got the rock bottom price.

“It’s not going to happen for me,” said one shopper who says she’s never asked for a price match. “It’s too much trouble.”

“The hassle of the parking lots and crowds isn’t worth it anymore,” said another who says he used to go after price matches when his kids were in diapers, but those days are long gone.

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Why do people go to all that trouble to order from someone who is NOT offering the lowest price in the first place? I’d much rather reward retailers that offer low prices up front with no strings attached (after adjusting for customer service, which counts for a lot in my book).

Sometimes they’re not close to you. Or if you’re at a retailer that’s got better prices on another item you’re after. I know I don’t want to make more trips than I need. Especially if using the gas eats up the savings from going to the store with the lower price.

I used to work at a sporting goods store that’s really prominent in the South and we price matched all day long. Customers were not ashamed to ask for discounts. I gave my cashiers a lot of leeway and if it was a reasonable request, I wasn’t going to make them verify it with a flyer or online. If the difference was more than a certain percentage of the price we had, I’d verify.

Sometimes customers didn’t even price match, they’d just ask if they could have a discount. If they were nice about it, I’d usually knock 5% off just for trying. Keeps them happy and coming back.

Too few businesses understand the importance of a good relationship with your customer. We always worked as hard as we could for good customers with reasonable requests, because though you may have made slightly less margin on that particular sale, you’ve guaranteed yourself a loyal customer with repeat business. An added bonus: your work environment is much more pleasant when employees and customers anticipate a friendly atmosphere.